


the importance of words

by Purple City (LydiaIsabelle)



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Chinese, Clizzy - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, French, I Blame Tumblr, Indonesian, Languages, M/M, Major Character Injury, Malec, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, but I usually turn everything into angst so I'm not suprised, i love it tho, i told ya'll I'd write this, lowkey clizzy, more languages!, send help, the original female character is max's mentor, this took me months to finish, this was suppoused to only be fluff, three parts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:31:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8010211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LydiaIsabelle/pseuds/Purple%20City
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was two months into their relationship that Magnus knew he loved Alexander Gideon Lightwood, and strangely, it didn’t surprise him </p><p>or; Magnus knows a lot of languages and things go wrong before everything goes absolutely right</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was two months into their relationship that Magnus knew he loved Alexander Gideon Lightwood, and strangely, it didn’t surprise him 

Magnus Bane had lived for quite a while, even though he didn’t look a day over 19, and he had known how love felt like, even if it had been one- sided at times, so when he saw Alexander defeat a ravener demon in Central Park, the words LOVE and PROTECT echoed around his head, deafening him as if Jem was talking to him as a Brother. Alexander had been covered in blood and grime, with a gash running down his back and Isabelle by his side, looking worse for wear. The air was biting into Magnus’s cheeks, causing the hair on his arms to stand up, but he couldn’t help but feel Alexander’s warmth radiating towards him as if he was as close as Magnus wished he was. 

He remembers how Alexander had stalked towards him at his own wedding, the way Maryse had watched them with judging eyes after they pulled apart, as if Magnus hadn’t just been re awoken from a coma consisting of parties and alcohol. As if Alexander hadn’t just been the first breath of fresh air Magnus had had in centuries. He remembers how Alexander had grabbed him by the lapels of his tailored suit jacket and kissed him square on the mouth in front of 40 conservative Nephilim who wouldn’t even dare to think about a shadowhunter in a same- sex relationship with anyone, let alone a downworlder. The fierce pride and respect in Isabelle’s eyes when she came up to them later on, before the vampire began rambling about some mundane movie that Magnus might have watched a few times since. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to love a Lightwood. 

When you’re an immortal, born in Indonesia, currently living in the literal opposite part of the world, you have traveled quite a bit. Before residing in London for quite a while in the eighteen hundreds, Magnus had been to almost as many countries as the Plague, and that resulted in some added languages to his vocabulary. Besides Indonesian and English, he was now a proud speaker of Swedish, Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese, as well as some French, since he only recently realized that knowing French would help him a lot with getting into Fashion Week next year. 

For now, however, Magnus had to watch Alexander wounded and bleeding while fighting at least three rabid dragonidaes lunging at the pair from the starry ceiling as Magnus himself fought of another pair of ravener demons, dodging their attacks with simple displays of magic. The arrows lay discarded on the ground a few metres away, Alexander quickly having realized that he needed to fight close range on this one since Clary were at home, laying in the Institute’s infirmary, having received some bad blows in her last fight. It wasn’t that Magnus didn’t trust Alexander with a seraph, the blade he was carrying had been forged by Wayland the Smith himself, but the heavy history it carried, being sword to the only shadowhunter in recorded history to ever have a relationship with a Greater Demon no less, must give Alexander some bad feeling about his current predicament. 

And Magnus understood, by the angels above he understood how Alexander handled all of this. Honestly, Magnus was just happy being near Alexander, in any way he could, with all that was going on in his life, with new evils around the corner and homophobic parents who, Magnus is sure, is tormenting Alexander because of the glittery warlock whose heart currently belonged to Alexander. Being able to be close with Alexander, to heal him after a particularly bad demon wound or just to make him a warm cup of coffee when the cold gets especially bad was more than enough. This, however, did not mean that Magnus was anywhere ready to pretend these feelings didn’t exist, dishonesty was never a good thing to build a relationship on. 

So after Alexander had killed the last dragonidae with the broadsword and Isabelle had stood by his back, loudly cursing them back to hell, Magnus walked straight up to Alexander and wiped away the blood from the cut on his upper lip before looking him straight in the eyes and whispering “Din underbara, vackra, modiga skuggjägare, jag älskar dig så mycket, men snälla, sluta sätta dig själv i fara när jag inte kan hjälpa dig. Jag tror inte jag kan tänka mig att leva utan dig”, before kissing him, closing his eyes and using his hand already on Alexander’s cheek to drag him into him. 

Alexander’s hesitation over kissing someone in front of Isabelle was evident at first, and Magnus was not going to lie and say that it didn’t hurt, but he kissed Magnus back with excitement and warmth, dragging his fingers through Magnus’s hair while locking his head into place before angling his own face to make sure their noses didn’t bump together, and Magnus decided he could deal with it for now. He tasted of blood and sweat and, strangely, a little bit of apricot, and his tongue was slow, waiting, unsure of how to act, so Magnus took charge, teasing Alexander while letting his hands slide down to the taller man’s shoulders and pulling him closer. 

It wasn’t a revolutionary kiss, it didn’t break any new ground, but to Magnus, it might have been his salvation. Alexander and his kisses were better than any magic Magnus could conjure, any artifact he could trade, any country he could visit. Alexander and his kisses was better than anything Magnus had ever known. All that mattered in that precise moment was Alexander, here in his arms, safe and alive with all of his limbs intact, and the rest of the world could burn.

When they pulled apart, partly due to to the feeling of their lungs escaping through their throats, and partly because Isabelle was hooting at them and telling them to get a room, Alexander had a smile on his face for half a millisecond before wiping it away and forcing on a stoic face, but Magnus was quite sure he would treasure it for a long time. After letting go of Magnus, the taller boy went to collect his bow and quiver that lay discarded in the grass before halting mid step, slowly turning around to face Magnus with a wondrous expression on his “sculpted by the gods” face. 

“I’m sorry, but did you just speak Norwegian?” Alexander asked, his mouth pulled into a slight frown, while his eyes flickered between him and Isabelle, who looked just as clueless. The whole thing was so comical Magnus had to stop himself from bursting out laughing. God, did this Nephilim own his heart. 

“Don’t tell the swedes you thought their language was Norwegian, they’ll lynch you. That was Swedish, spoken in Sweden, rich culture, vulgar and violent in history, but today one of the most prominent countries when it comes to technology, music and bland, tragic cuisine. Really, did you know meatballs aren’t even Swedish? An old king of theirs, Karl XII, also a friend of mine, brought them back from one of our crazy trips to Turkey back in the sixteen hundreds, and yet, Swedish Meatballs are sold all over the world as a part of swedish cuisine. It’s a travesty.” Magnus rants, and the Lightwood siblings are just watching him as if he’s grown an extra head, before sharing a glance that seems to say “Can you believe this man?”. 

“Right, yes of course, my boyfriend can speak Swedish, where is the unusualty in that?” Alexander says while looking up at the starry, dark midnight sky as if to ask it a silent question, one Magnus would never know. All Magnus could do was admire the curve of his neck as it arched, his jawline doing things to Magnus that he should not be experiencing whilst in the presence of Isabelle Lightwood. He doesn’t miss the judgy, if a bit playful, look she sends his way before Alexander picks up his weapon and wiped the gore off of it. 

“Don’t worry darling, I’ll teach you someday, if you decide to stick around.” Magnus brought himself out of his thoughts to reply whilst letting Alexander know that he is the one in control of this relationship, and assuring him that Magnus doesn’t intend to make him the least bit uncomfortable, if he can help it. The stuttering mess his sentence reduces his Alexander to is a blessing fit for a God, not someone like Magnus Bane, but he’ll take it none the less. 

“What my brother would like to say is that we need to head back to the Institute before our darling mother finds out you were aiding us from some other, old, conservative idiot of a Shadowhunter instead of hearing it from her wonderful daughter, but I think you can expect a text message or two from Romeo over here later, after we’re done briefing. Lovely meeting you as always, Magnus.” Isabelle said, but Alexander was having none of it, and he wouldn’t own Magnus’s heart if he was. 

“I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself, little sister.” He began, the blush gracing his cheeks ever so slightly, only visible because of the gas light overhead. His hands gripped the bow tightly, and the web of veins running up and down his forearm strained against his skin. Alexander was nervous. Had Magnus mentioned he loved this man recently? 

“Thank you for your help, Magnus, but we need to leave before the Institute wonders where we are, but Isabelle is right on one thing, at least. I’ll text you afterwards, when I’m in bed. Is that okay?” Alexander asked, and sometimes he was to adorable for his own good. How was Magnus supposed to interpret that. He briefly pondered if he should reply with a coy “naked, I hope”, but quickly decided Alexander wasn’t ready for that. 

 

“I know you didn’t mean that in a sexual way Alexander, but you really need to choose your words in the future if you want to take things slow.” Magnus winked, and the blush adorning Alexander’s cheeks blossomed, as if they were being kissed by a dragon. Magnus fell in love all over again. Between Isabelle’s fits of laughter and Alexander’s blushing, the Lightwoods made an adorable pair, and Magnus momentarily forgot why he had ever disliked the family in the first place. 

They turned to leave, both putting away their bigger weapons, Alexander tucking the broad sword into his holster and Isabelle lacing her whip around her arm, and Magnus is perfectly content with turning around himself, go home to his grumpy cat and empty loft to await Alexander’s text message. Hell, that was even more than he expected, so when Alexander halted mid step, slowly turned around to look at Magnus before rushing up to him and giving him a quick peck on the lips before whispering a short “goodbye” in his ear and jogging back to where his sister was trying to hold in her laughter, Magnus might have died a little bit inside. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

[New message from: Alexander 11:42 PM]  
Just wanted to let you know that I’m home, safe and sound. 

[New message from: Magnus Bane 11:43 PM]  
So it’s safe of me to assume that ur in bed while txting me, darling ;)

[New message from: Alexander 11:46 PM]  
Yes, it saves time to text you in bed, Magnus.

[New message from: Magnus Bane 11:47 PM]  
Very sexy ;)))))

[New message from: Alexander 11:50 PM]  
Goodnight Magnus

[New message from: Magnus Bane 11:51 PM]  
Goodnight, min älskade.

\-------------------------------------------------------

 

The weeks that followed contained brief meetings and long text conversations that always seemed to leave Magnus reeling, no matter what they talked about. Alexander could talk about the awkward breakfast at Rhino’s where Maryse had made a snide remark at Robert’s loudness and Robert had retorted by calling Maryse judgy for all Magnus he cared about, he loved it either way. Besides, he had experience with the Lightworm family, and to be quite fair, Robert shared many of Gideon’s traits, even though he was descended from the far more annoying brother Gabriel. Why Cecily had married him, Magnus would never know, but he supposed that any Lightworm that had, in the end, led him to Alexander was worthy of his respect. 

If Gabriel had still been alive, he would have told Magnus that everyone was worthy of his respect, and that the warlock wasn’t that special, to which Magnus would have replied with a quick “comes from the man whose life I have saved countless of times.” He had saved him five times, maybe six, but Magnus was nothing if not an exaggerator. Oh how he missed his Victorian band of brothers sometimes. 

When he was done reminiscing, the water in his shower had been turned off and out came Alexander, fully clothed of course (much to Magnus’s displeasure), with droplets of water running down his neck, causing the collar of the dark blue tee he borrowed from Magnus to dampen. He had never looked more beautiful. 

That was a lie, the look Alexander had sported when he finally, finally, accepted who he was and let himself be happy was something Magnus would cherish forever, but this came in a close second. 

“Alexander, really, is there anything you own that doesn’t make you look good enough to eat?” Magnus asks flirtingly, not one hundred percent serious, but not really joking either. 

“ I could say the same Magnus Bane, but I have a feeling you already know there isn’t”, Alexander smirks, and the fact that his Alexander is flirting with him is so foreign and unexpected that he actually inhales sharply and stares in awe at his lover. 

“What? You didn’t think I was incapable of flirting, did you? I was just waiting for the right man to flirt with, that’s all.” Alexander continues, and if Magnus had been in love before, the fact that he is the right man to flirt with, as Alexander put it, he doesn’t know what he is now. 

“ Oh, my Alexander, Nǐ yǒngyuǎn bù huì tíngzhǐ gěi wǒ dài lái jīngxǐ.” Magnus breathes, and he is actually quite embarrassed by how easily Alexander managed to leave him breathless. Before he can make a full recovery however, Alexander kisses him right on the mouth to shut him up further. 

Magnus leans into it, letting Alexander guide him wherever the Shadowhunter wants him to be, and when the taller man bites Magnus’s upper lip, asking for permission to kiss him thoroughly, Magnus lets out a moan so loud that it could probably wake the whole damn building. 

They stand there, in Magnus’s room, the warlock with his hands in Alexander’s hair and the Shadowhunters tongue in Magnus’s throat, and nothing has ever been more right. In that blessed moment, Alexander is everything good Magnus has, and as long as the Earth will spin, he will own Magnus’s heart. 

Alexander pulls back as quickly as he had pulled in and moves for the large door that leads to the dining room, where the rest of Alexander's group are residing (sans his parabatai, one Magnus has tirelessly been trying to track down for the last months), and with a smile, he is gone out the door and Magnus heart is about to burst out of his chest.

\---------------------------------------------

The following weeks, Alexander can’t be anywhere near Magnus without the intense feeling of love exploding within Magnus, as if every cell in his body has been slowly doused in gasoline and with every glance Alexander throws his way, he is on fire, burning burning burning until all that remains is the dopey smile on the warlock’s face and the remnants of a man in love. 

Magnus had, even though it took some time, noticed some changes in Alexander’s behaviour since that fight in the alley all those weeks ago. Every time he would throw in something in a foreign language, it seemed to turn Alexander on, because Magnus always received a searing kiss after he had brought out his language skills, that left him just as breathless as before. Magnus might be the warlock in the relationship, but Alexander was the one who was magical. 

Casual conversations could turn into declarations of love from Magnus real quick, and any outsider would say that he was rushing the relationship, but when you had lived to see almost everyone you cared about die, from his mother to Will to Ragnor, you learned that love was fleeting, and if you didn’t grab onto it fast enough, it would disappear faster than you can blink. Magnus would not let this go, not as long as Alexander held onto him. 

He often used his multilingual tongue to romance Alexander without the other even knowing, whispering endearments in Vietnamese during makeout sessions or talking dirty to him in Russian during important meetings with other Shadowhunters. Magnus had been invited to the Institute regularly during the search for Jace and Valentine, much to Maryse’s displeasure he assumed, and Magnus would be damned if he didn’t take any chance he got to be near Alexander.

Magnus was broken out of his thoughts when a sharp knock on the door echoed through the loft, and after opening the large mahogany door, he was greeted by the beautiful sight of Alexander Gideon Lightwood, covered in sweat and blood and dirt, and Magnus couldn’t stop himself. 

“Ты восхитителен. Я полюбил тебя первого взгляда. О своей любви я готов слагать легенды. Ты мой ангел.” Magnus declares softly, and when he doesn’t get the searing kiss he usually gets when he speaks a foreign language, he opens his eyes (he didn’t notice he had closed them) to see Alexander stare at him dumbfounded, as if he had been struck by lightning, shell shocked and so still that Magnus starts worrying. 

“Darling, are you okay?” Please come in, you look like you’re in bad shape, not that you look bad, but you seem to need something sweet to calm you down. I mean, I am sweet of course, but here, I’ll get you something to drink.” Magnus says, and he knows he is rambling, he knows that he must seem incoherent, but all he can think about is Alexander hurt and that is not acceptable in his book.  
He leads Alexander to his couch and conjures up an iced chai latte with a hint of cinnamon, and hands it to Alexander who accepts it with shaking hands. He lifts the cup up to his lips (oh, those lips! Magnus could write sonnets about those lips) when he suddenly begins to spasm in pain, groaning as he fell to the floor. 

“Alexander, darling, what is happening?” Magnus asked frantically, already conjuring up worst case scenarios and images in his head all the while rushing to Alexander’s side as he clutched the side of his stomach, his face filled with pain. Magnus scrambled to reach for the spot Alexander was holding, lifting his shirt just high enough to see the infected wound, ringed with a shade of grey Magnus did not like the sight of. 

“Darling, darling, hey look at me.” Magnus whispered, trying to get Alexander to focus on anything besides the pain he currently must be feeling. His eyes opened, his beautiful hazel eyes staring at Magnus with something Magnus had never seen before, at least not directed at him. 

“Alexander, I’m going to put you in a coma to lessen the pain and slow the virus, your body reacting only makes it worse. I don’t know how long you have be out, but I promise you, I’ll spend all my time trying to find out what this is and cure it. Do you understand me?” Magnus asks, and he tries to be brave for Alexander and not show the panic that currently is occupying every cell in his body. He could not lose him, not yet. They were supposed to get a fair chance, a real shot in figuring out what they were. Alexander interrupts his mental monologue with a nod, a silent permission given and all Magnus could do was tap his fingers to Alexander’s forehead to put him to sleep before the venom did too much damage. 

As soon as Alexander’s body relaxed, Magnus moved him back on the couch and set to work gathering all the ingredients that was needed when figuring out what venom you’re dealing with. Herbs and spices were scattered all across the loft when Magnus was done, but before he got to work, he called Isabelle. 

“Hello Isabelle, yes your brother is here… no Isabelle please listen up… Isabelle we are not having sex good God… Isabelle I need your help! He is poisoned, how soon can you and Clary be here? See you in thirty minutes”. He finished before hanging up, taking one long look down at Alexander’s heavenly face, tinged with pain but yet somehow still peaceful, before getting to work. When Isabelle and Clary show up 20 minutes later, Magnus sets them to work as well. 

“Oh Alexander, why do you do this to us?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we hear from Alec, finally.

“Alec, mom and dad are running themselves ragged, please wake up”

“Alec, I know you don’t like me that much, but please come back to us”

Worry. Anger. Anxiety. Hurt. Emotions through a parabatai bond.

“Alec, the institute needs you, please come back and help us.”

“........Alexander, please come back to us…….our story hasn’t even begun yet…..”

“Is he going to survive this Magnus?”

“Why hasn’t he woken up?”

“Alec, it’s Max, please come back to me. I promise I won’t do anything dangerous in Mumbai.”

“You can’t move him, the venom is hypersensitive to movement. You can’t even touch him until he’s awake.”

“Magnus, what if Alec don’t wake up. What if I lose my brother….”

“Catarina, what do I do?” 

“There is no Izzy without Alec, Magnus.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be a High Warlock?” What are you good for if not saving my son?”

“Please Alexander, I need to tell you how much I love you to your face, please.” 

“Why is he even interested in you?”

“...Alexander, please baby…..open your eyes.”

\--------------------------------

When he opens his eyes, Alec can’t see anything but darkness at first. He’s in Magnus’s bed, two pillows tucked behind his head and laying on top of the bedspread, dressed in a different pair of jeans than he had on when he left the Institute last time, and he tries not to think about who changed them. Moving his head for the first time in what seems quite a while, he sees the clock on the wall showing 7:26 PM, and when he’s gotten his bearings a bit better, he can see a strange blue skinned woman sleeping in a chair a few feet away from the bed. 

It takes everything Alec has to move out of the bed and move to wake the woman. His legs feel like cement, and he aches in every cell he has, but his muscles stretch for the first time in a while, and it seems much needed. The woman in Magnus’s chair drools a bit before stirring, but she sleeps for a few more minutes before opening her eyes (quite a few awkward minutes if he’s being honest, but Alec doesn’t have the heart to wake her when she seems at peace).

Her eyes are green, and when she sees him they widen, looking startled and happy at the same time.  
“Alexander! You are awake! I’m so glad to finally meet you, officially I mean. How are you feeling, any residual pain or ache from the wound?” the woman asks, moving to inspect the wound closer. He hadn’t realised he was shirtless before. 

“You are Catarina Loss, aren’t you?” He asks, because he faintly remembers Magnus talking with someone named Catarina, and what are the chances that this isn’t another warlock, with blue skin and all.

“Oh yes, sorry! I’m Catarina, one of Magnus’s friends and a nurse at St. Beth’s Hospital. I’m so glad you’re awake!” she smiles, and as hostile as Shadowhunters are raised to act towards Downworlders, Alec can’t help but feel protective of the woman. 

“Yes, hi. Um, this might be rude and I apologize, but where is Magnus?” he asks, having been disappointed when he realised Magnus wasn’t anywhere to be found. 

“Oh, shit. I finally convince him to get out and deal with a client of his, and then you decide to wake up. After a month, I finally get him to leave this god damned apartment, and then you decide to wake up. He is going to be so mad at me.” She rambles, and Alec can feel the corners of his lips turn upwards when he stops short, hearing what the woman said. 

“Did you say a month? Like 30 days, a month?” Alec asks dumbfounded, and something in Catarina changes because she smiles, as if she knows something he doesn’t.

“35, days to be exact, but who’s counting? Oh right, everyone is.” she smiles, and Alec realizes why Magnus is so fond of this girl. 

“Oh God, I need to call Izzy and Clary, they must be so worried.” Alec says, rummaging through the pockets of his jeans in search for his phone. 

“Oh, where did he put it?” Catarina says, and Alec quickly realizes that it’s his phone she is searching for. She finds it plugged into a brand new charger, the chords still bent from being stuffed in a case. 

“Here, we took it out a while ago, when we realized you had it on you. Call your girls and ask them to come, I’ll make some food for us” Catarina grins, and she’s out the door before Alec has the time to protest. 

\-----------------------------------

“Magnus, I told you not to call from Alec’s phone, it gives me a heart attack every time.” Izzy’s voice says, and Alec can’t contain the joy he feels when he hears it, oh how he had missed her. She sounds tired, just as their mother always do when getting out of a meeting with the Clave, and he immediately feels guilty for all the responsibility she must have gotten to carry all on her own while he was sleeping away an entire month. 

“Sorry to disappoint, sis, it’s me”. He says, and the silence on the other end is deafening, until a door slams shut and Isabelle screams in his ear. 

“ALEC! You’re awake! Oh my God Clary, are you listening? He is awake, thank the Angel. How are you feeling? We are on our way.” Someone is talking with Isabelle on the other end as well, and Alec can only assume it’s Clary. 

“Yes Clary! Pack him some gear as well, I doubt Magnus has Shadowhunter gear lying around his loft.” She says, and Alec is extremely happy to have these two in his life, he realizes.

“Thank you so much, girls. Catarina is cooking, so we can all talk when you get here, and I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you two, I promise I won't do it again.” He says, but he knows that this is not the last time he’ll be on the brink of death in his life, not with everything on the horizon. 

“You better believe it, mister. When do you want us there? An hour? I figure you and Magnus might want some alone time, if you know what I mean.” Alec can almost see her grin through the phone. 

“For your information, Magnus is with a client, but I actually need to speak with Catarina about, you know that language thing, so an hour sounds great. And please, tell mom and dad tomorrow, I just really want to stay another night at Magnus’s place, and I figure she won’t let me if I’m conscious.” He replies, and even though he meant it as a joke, the fact that it’s true breaks his heart just a little bit. 

Okay, maybe a lot.

But in all honesty, his parents has absolutely no say whatsoever in who he dates and Alec isn’t ashamed of Magnus at all, and if they can’t accept that Alec is homosexual and dating a man, then they can deal with an estranged son. 

“Will do brother. Clary says hi, by the way, and that she has missed you. We’ll see you in an hour, okay? I love you.” Isabelle says, and he doesn’t know what he did to deserve her as his sister. 

“I love you too.” He says and hangs up the phone before leaving it plugged into the outlet once again. Shadowhunters, unlike mundanes, aren’t that attached to that piece of technology. 

He took a minute or two to just walk around the loft before entering the kitchen, admiring Magnus’s decorating knowledge. It might not exactly cater to Alec’s tastes, but the amount of effort and consideration Magnus had put into every item was evident, and if it was something Alec could admire, it was hard work. 

When he entered the kitchen, Catarina was standing by the stove making pancakes while whipping some cream on the side. She doesn’t hear him enter the room so he takes a seat next on one of Magnus’s bar stools and waits patiently for her to finish up. When she’s finished with the cream, she turns around and places the bowl right in front of Alec before going right back to the stove and starting up another pancake. 

“You’re going to have to try a little bit harder than that if you want to scare a warlock, we are quite used to the things that go bump in the night” she says throwing a glance over her shoulder to smirk at him while flipping the pancake over. “Would you mind putting that thing”, she points to the bowl of whipped cream, “in the fridge for me?”, she asks, and Alec stands up, takes the bowl in his hands, moves to the fridge and places the bowl in Magnus’s scarily empty one. If Alec had stopped there, he would have been safe. Of course Alec opens his mouth. 

“Hey, Catarina, I need to ask you something, it’s about Magnus.” Catarina freezes, and an uneasiness settled across the room in an instant. Alec doesn’t really understand why, but he assumes he didn't’ really say that right. He really doesn’t want to fuck this up. Oh God, what is he doing?

“Listen, I know you’ve known each other for a long time, and I need your advice but I just,” he trails of, not really wanting to continue. Is it to late to go back into that coma? “I just, lately he’s been speaking in all these languages around me, so I put a Lingua rune on my leg,” he doesn’t get any further before Catarina interrupts.

“Alec, if you’re about to tell me that it scares you and you want out, please just leave and I can deal with Magnus when he gets back, just, don’t break his heart more than you have to. He doesn’t deserve that.” The whole sentence sounds so surreal that Alec can’t believe that it was even spoken aloud.

“Break his heart?” He asks, baffled by what Catarina must think of him, like Magnus was a toy, something to play around with until he found someone better. Hadn’t he made it clear enough that he loved him back?

“Break his heart? Catarina I love him! Do you have any idea how hard it has been to hear everything he says about me, and I can’t reply because I don’t want him to stop. He says all these beautiful things and I’m supposed to sit there and pretend I didn’t understand any of it. Magnus is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I need your advice on how to make him understand that!”

During his rant, Catarina’s face goes from worry to happiness to annoyance, but Alec is too wrapped up in his own thoughts that the only thing that breaks him out of it is when the woman in question grabs his face with both of her hands and just stares at him. 

“Alexander Lightwood, Magnus Bane is disgustingly in love with you. You could tell him you loved him while doing his dirty laundry and he would love you irrevocably. He just needs to know you do, because the amounts of calls I have received these last months where Magnus have droned on and on about how he’s “moving too fast” and “probably scaring you” are too many to count.”

Shit. She was right. 

“Has it really been months, Catarina? It feels like just yesterday when I grabbed him at the Institute and kissed him. Has it really been, what, four months?” He asks, because frankly he can’t really believe that he has been this fortunate.

“Well, you were unconscious for 25% of it, so I can understand some of the shock you must be feeling, but you know just as well as I do that what you two have is something extraordinary.” Her attempts to lighten the mood works, and Alec lets himself smile.

“When is Magnus coming back? I want to surprise him with something.” Alec says, and the knowing smile Catarina sports says it all, really. 

“Say no more, I’ll have you and your girls out of here before he gets back, I promise.” She answers, and has Alec mentioned that he likes this girl? After that, they go back to small talk, occasionally talking about one of Magnus’s quirks, and when Izzy and Clary knock on the door, they are greeted with the smell of pancakes and Catarina’s protective “What? I’ll have you know that this is completely normal dinner food in Sweden”, to which Alec replies “I don’t assume you happen to know something of the origins of the Swedish meatballs?”, Catarina smiles and says “Baby, I was there.”. 

During the dinner, Izzy catches him up on what’s been going on in the search for Jace and Valentine, as well as how sad Max was to leave for Mumbai without getting to say goodbye, and Alec makes a mental note to give him a call as soon as he can. Clary is sitting there the entire dinner, looking out of place and feeling a bit uncomfortable, so Alec makes a mental note to make amends with her as well. All in all, Alec is happy. 

When Catarina practically pushes them out the front door at eight o’clock under the pretense that “there’s a band of demons terrorizing someone down at the bridge, and Alec really should stay behind given his situation” Izzy doesn’t question it, because when she leans into him during their hug, she quietly whispers “good luck getting that boyfriend of yours, dear brother”, before leaning away and smirking at him before she’s out the door with Catarina and Clary in tow, the latter throwing him a tentative smile on her way out. 

He calls the Mumbai Institute the second the door closes, and luck seems to be on his side today because Max's mentor, Kala Lahiri, picks up the phone after just one ring with a hushed tone saying "Mister Alexander, you're alive."

Alec feels bad for making Kala worry, she's been nothing but nice to Max and the Lightwood family in general. He supposes he couldn't help it, but knowing that she's glad to hear his voice makes him so unbelievably happy. News of his sexuality must have traveled to India by now, especially since they have a Lightwood staying at their Institute and knowing that Kala's opinion of him hasn't changed because of it, the only Shadowhunter he likes at that particular institute means the world to him.

Kala Lahiri is to Max what Hodge was to him, before everything. And since Maryse and Robert are busy constantly, Alec has been the one Kala has called when she needs to speak to a parent about Max's studies. Alec respects her, he reallly does, she's one of his favourite Shadowhunters to be honest. However, he doesn't know when Magnus will come home, and the pair of them needs to talk, so he has to cut this short. 

"Kala, I'm fine, I just needed some time to handle the poision. I'm really okay though. And I hate to cut this short Kala, I really do, but can you give the phone to Max?" Alec says, and he barely remembers Kala responding with a brief "Of course, mister Alexander." before Max is screaming ALEC in his ear and he realises that everything will be fine. 

They talk for awhile, and Max keeps telling him how cool Magnus is, that he likes him and that Magnus apparently promised to give Max a cat when he turns 18, when their parents can't keep Max from having a pet, and that he's so happy that Alec is happy. It's hard to end the call, but he does it in the end with a promise to call Max soon, and not before getting a promise out of Max to behave.

And then he waits.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *breathes in* YEAH BOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
> 
> THE END IS IN SIGHT

His client was especially annoying today, droning on and on about how insensitive Magnus had been recently, not heeding his every call for requests, and he honestly can’t wait for the opportunity to get the hell out of there and back to his loft, to Alexander, and monitor his recovery. Catarina had managed to get him out of his residence with promises of protection and safety, and who did Magnus trust more than Catarina? 

The gods were on his side this evening, allowing him to go home at nine o’clock, a whole hour before he was expected to leave, and he sees it for the blessing it is and doesn’t ask questions. He can’t wait for the dry martini awaiting him when he comes home. 

What he does not expect, however, is Alexander sitting on his couch with a First Edition Shakespeare in his hand, one of Magnus’s T-shirts on his previously bare chest and a smile on his face as soon as he sees Magnus enter the loft, before he stands up to meet him halfway. 

“Mags,” he starts, and the shell shocked look on the warlock’s face would probably be hilarious if shown during different circumstances. “Hi, I’m awake”. 

Alexander looks radiating, from the shy smile he was wearing to the slight shake in his legs. He was standing, now, too far away for Magnus’s liking, rubbing the back of his neck, as if Magnus wouldn’t be happy to see him, which is frankly ridiculous because who wouldn’t be happy to see his boyfriend?

All the things that had happened these past months, from meeting Max to dealing with Maryse and Robert’s blatant racism and biphobia went out the window at the sight of Alexander in his clothes, wearing something that smelled of his scent and having it fit so perfectly on Alexander. It was a dream come true. 

And then there was the fact that his boyfriend was awake, something he had not been for quite a while. 

“Alexander..?” There is questions in his voice and he hated it, but he can’t help wondering if this is all just a pipe dream, an illusion his mind conjured up to manage the trauma his mind and magic has been going through these last weeks. It really wouldn’t surprise him. He might not have known the Shadowhunter for long, but he had left a print on him big enough to cover his heart. He doesn’t wonder for long however, because Alexander's arms is around him and his heartbeat is against his forehead and oh. Alexander’s heartbeat is speeding up, and he’d be a damned liar if he didn’t say that felt like a small victory. 

He hadn’t been sure he’d hear it beat in anything other than a slow rhythm ever again. This was so much better than anything he had ever experienced. 

“You’re fine, you’re fine, te amo, te amo” Magnus chanted over and over again until the shirt Alexander was wearing was stained in eyeliner and mascara and he hadn’t thought he’d be this okay ever again and oh how could Alexander already have this effect on him?

“I didn’t need an lingua rune to understand you this time babe” Alexander says and Magnus goes rigid, because oh my god what did Alexander just say? It took awhile for his brain to connect the dots, all the while Alexander was staring down at him bemusedly, and when he finally realizes that oh shit, Alexander knows, Alexander has already sat down and pulled the warlock into his lap. 

“You know!? Why didn’t you tell me anything? Oh, I’ve been such a fool, and you understood me? I’m so sorry Alexander, please don’t leave me. I know it was fast but I can’t help it. Please don’t leave me because of this, I can stop, I promise.” Magnus is rambling, he knows this, but he wants to cherish every breath of this moment, because he doesn’t know how long it will last. It takes a moment longer for Magnus to realize that Alexander isn’t running away, he’s not scared, he’s loving, and that is something else. 

“Magnus, I love you too, and you don’t ever have to apologize for loving me, dear god. I love you so much. Te quiero con todo mi corazón. I’ve wanted you to know for so long, but I didn’t know how to say it at first, and then I just didn’t want you to stop, and then I got hit and I could hear you speaking to me, and now you’re here and you need to know that, oh god, I love you Magnus Bane. So much.”

As soon as the words were out of Alec’s mouth, the world stopped. Magnus’s head tilts upwards, looking at Alec like he’s something else, and maybe he is. Who in their right mind falls in love as a Shadowhunter? Alec has been taught nothing but duty and law and order his entire life, and here he is risking everything for something so foreign to him. But he doesn’t care. 

Because Magnus is watching him with tears in his eyes, and Alec swears he’ll never make Magnus cry again. 

He leans down, with every intent of taking things slowly, but as soon as Magnus registers the movement, he reaches up, wraps his arms around Alec’s neck and pulls him down. Their lips meet, and for a second, everything inside Alec explodes. He truly loves this man, and knowing that this man knows that Alec loves him, that Magnus knows that he is loved, makes this kiss a thousand times better. Alec is pretty sure he’ll never get enough. 

They fall back on the couch, Magnus on top of Alec and hands traveling everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Alec runs his hand through Magnus’s hair while the warlock starts undoing Alec’s shirt, and Alec has to pull away before he does something he’ll regret. This has to be Magnus’s choice.

“Are you sure about this? You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to Mags, just because we just said we love each other doesn’t mean we have to sleep together. I can wait.” The words are hard to say, but necessary. Alec knows how Magnus’s ex lovers have toyed with him, he won't do the same to the man he loves. He makes a mental note to make sure Magnus feels loved every second of every day. He can suddenly feel Magnus stopping, and he looks down at the man he loves, oh by the Angel that feels good to say. 

“Would you mind if we just, I don’t know, just cuddle tonight? I’m so tired and I just wanna feel your heartbeat, and besides, you shouldn’t take part in any strenuous activities anyway.” Magnus laughs, and Alec decides then and there that this man, Magnus Bane, is it for him. Logic be damned, he’d never be this content with anyone else. 

“I love you, have I mentioned that?” Alec says before heading to their bedroom to undress, and Magnus shortly follows suit with a breathy “you may have mentioned it once or twice.” While Alec gets rid of his clothes (the shirt is Magnus’s, but that’s irrelevant), Magnus brushes his teeth and gets rid of all the decoration pillows adorning their bed. He also uses his magic to completely change the sheets, since Alec had spent quite some time on them during his, let’s call it a nap. 

They settle in easily, arms and legs intertwining with each other as their foreheads touch between exchanging lazy kisses while falling asleep. Chairman finds his way into their bed in the middle of the night, and the sky of Brooklyn continues to shine outside of their windows. Magnus would never admit this if you asked him, he can’t be seen as sappy, but there was a time where he didn’t think the stars would ever shine again.

\-------------------------------------

“Magnus! What have I told you about leaving your dirty laundry all around the loft? I bought you that basket for a reason.” Alec half shouts, all the while shaking his head and letting his mouth form that smile that he saves just for Magnus. 

The man in question peeks his head out from behind the shower curtains, head still coated in shampoo and drops of water making their way down his lover’s body. Air of steam fills the rest of the room instantly and the mirrors turn foggy, and Magnus opens the curtains wide enough for Alec to be able to step in under the warm, soothing water. 

“Magnus Bane, je t’aime, tu es ma joie de vivre.” Alec says, before kissing leaning down to kiss Magnus neck while the warlock uses his own hands to lathe Alec’s hair in shampoo. 

Life is good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long, but I wanted to give you guys what you told me you wanted in the comments, so I ahd to rewrite some parts from my first outline and then I started to grow distant from the ending so I made it like 50% less smuttier but 100% fluffier than what is originially was.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't find the tumblr post, please feel free to link it in the comments. Also, thank you for reading! Please leave kudos if you have the time! Love you all!!!
> 
> translation:  
> Swedish- English  
> "You wonderful, beautiful, brave Shadowhunter, I love you so much, but please stop putting youself in danger when I can't help you. I don't think I can live without you."  
> "My love"
> 
> Russian- English  
> "I fell in love with you from the first sight. I am ready to write legends about my love, you're my angel."
> 
> Chinese- English  
> "You never cease to amaze me"
> 
> Spanish- English  
> "I love you with all my heart"
> 
> French- English  
> "Magnus, I love you. You are the joy of my life"


End file.
